Campaigners reach 700 signatures against £45m Aquarena plans

Campaigners against the proposed Aquarena development will be in the town centre tomorrow to add to the 700 signatures they have already gathered.
Latest plans for the Aquarena, now submitted to Worthing Borough Council. Image courtesy of F10 Studios SUS-161024-104359001Latest plans for the Aquarena, now submitted to Worthing Borough Council. Image courtesy of F10 Studios SUS-161024-104359001
Latest plans for the Aquarena, now submitted to Worthing Borough Council. Image courtesy of F10 Studios SUS-161024-104359001

The Worthing Society and members of the Save Our Seafront Group will be holding a petition signing event in Montague Place tomorrow between 11am and 1pm.

As previously reported, the groups are objecting to the proposed development at the Aquarena site in Brighton Road, Worthing which includes a 15-storey tower.

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According to Ben Cheal from developers Roffey Homes, the proposed £45million project would create a new garden square, extensive public space and a seafront pavilion café, plus commercial space and public parking for the Splashpoint centre.

He said that they ‘seen a lot of positive support from people in Worthing’ for the latest plans.

But Susan Belton, chairman of the Worthing Society, said: “We consider it will change the Victorian Seaside character of Worthing and will set a precedent.”

MP Tim Loughton also weighed in on the issue. He welcomed revisions to the original plans that opened up the East Beach ‘imaginatively and sympathetically’ but agreed with campaigners on the height of the tower.

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He said: “Such a dense and high development continues to be completely out of keeping with this part of Worthing and would set a bad precedent for over-development of the beach frontage.”

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